


He Screams For Ice Cream

by retrinazambrano



Series: OQ Prompt Party [5]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, OQ Prompt Party 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-27
Updated: 2017-08-27
Packaged: 2020-04-06 13:53:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19064005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/retrinazambrano/pseuds/retrinazambrano
Summary: Roland has a tantrum.





	He Screams For Ice Cream

**Author's Note:**

> For OQ Prompt Party 2017.
> 
> 11\. Regina mothering Roland (but Robin's away, sorry!)  
> 87\. Roland's first tantrum with Regina

Roland is a mild-mannered child by nature; kind, calm… excitable, of course, but he's a kid - it's in his very nature.

He gets, Regina notices especially earlier, very excited about one thing in particular, in all its varying flavours and forms.

Roland is a big fan of ice cream. Wants it every day for every meal and both Robin and Regina agree that although this is not a sustainable way of living, once a day can't hurt.

Problem is, Regina's a soft touch when it comes to Roland and, occasionally, mainly when Robin is away on business, she'll let Roland have ice cream for breakfast. Or lunch. Or dinner. She justifies it by reasoning to herself that it's not all three she allows it for. She doesn't tell Robin she does this, of course, nor does she tell Roland to not tell his father - if it comes out, it comes out; she doesn't want the boy to feel bad for her little weaknesses.

Then Roland gets sick - stomach bug sick - and he's barely able to keep much more than chicken soup and the odd piece of dry toast down. Regina mothers the little one, what with Robin being away on another trip, caring for him just the same way she cared for Henry with lots of fluids, love and cuddles.

He's unwell, but he's not so unwell that he doesn't want ice cream. He always wants ice cream, after all, and this time, despite everything, Regina has to say no. The first time she says no, it's met with a little groan, but Roland's tired, so he simply turns over and falls asleep. She thinks - hopes - that'll be it, but a few hours later, he asks again and Regina still says no.

It's the third time that he really gets antsy about it. No is the answer, yet again, and this time Roland kicks off his covers (not that she blames him - it's got to be pretty warm under there) and purses his lips in frustration. She gets it, she does - he's so full of life, so to have a bug that pretty much makes you feel miserable as well as stopping you from doing what you want… that's tough to deal with as an adult, let alone as a child.

What she's not prepared for, however, are the tears that leak from Roland's eyes and, as Regina goes to open her mouth, a little scream comes out. Then another. Then another. This is completely out of character for him, Regina betting that it's simply because he is so aggravated by the situation, rather than her actually saying no.

She gives him a couple of moments to see if he calms down - which he doesn't, so, with a sigh, the brunette gathers the little boy into her arms, stroking his hair soothingly as she rocks him, patiently waiting as his tears abate into sniffly hitches in his chest. Once he's settled enough to speak, Roland asks why she said no to the ice cream when she would normally say yes and Regina explains that he's not well enough to have it. She tells him a story of when she herself was a child, when she ate so much of a peach pie that she was sick and now isn't able to eat peaches at all. Roland's eyes widen at the tale, as he shakes his head and tells her that would never happen between him and ice cream. Regina chuckles, ruffling his curls and hugging him a little tighter, before promising that, once he's all better, they can go to Any Given Sundae and have his favourite triple chocolate chip mint concoction, something which brings a smile to his face.

The smile on his face is always worth it.


End file.
